Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Redcar

Anna Turley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which official engagements he has undertaken in Redcar since May 2015.

Margot James: My Rt hon Friend the Member for Bromsgrove (Sajid Javid) visited Redcar on 2 October 2015 following the announcement of the liquidation of Sahaviriya Steel Industries UK (SSI). The then Secretary of State announced a support package worth up to £80 million for former employees affected by the closure. He was accompanied by the then Minister for Small Businesses, Industry and Enterprise, Anna Soubry. The Minister for Small Businesses, Industry and Enterprise then attended the Redcar taskforce on 21 March 2016. In his previous role as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my Rt hon Friend met the Mayor and Leaders of the five Tees Valley authorities on the following dates: 15 July 2015 (a joint meeting with James Wharton), 23 March 2016, 7 June 2016 (to launch Lord Heseltine’s report Tees Valley: opportunity unlimited) and 12 July 2016. These were regular catch-up meetings, which took place in Westminster.

Minimum Wage

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to ensure that companies do not offset the costs of paying the new minimum wage by reducing rates of pay for (a) some workers and (b) night and weekend working.

Margot James: We recognise that employers will respond to the National Living Wage in a variety of ways depending on their circumstances, but the Government does not consider it acceptable for companies to use it as an excuse to cut staff benefits. In a growing economy, the National Living Wage should represent an opportunity to invest in talented staff and improve productivity. Employers need to ensure their pay and reward packages are competitive to retain and develop the people they need for their business.

Groceries Code Adjudicator

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will extend the remit of the Groceries Code Adjudicator to include primary producers' relationships with their suppliers.

Margot James: We will shortly be commencing a review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator and as part of that we will take account of the recent calls for its remit to be extended.

Equal Pay

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of the introduction of the new minimum wage on (a) evening and weekend working pay rates for women and (b) gender pay equality.

Margot James: The Government has published an impact assessment on the introduction of the National Living Wage here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2016/3/pdfs/ukia_20160003_en.pdf In addition, more recent HM Treasury analysis[1] shows that the National Living Wage is expected to eradicate the gender pay gap for the lowest paid (at the 10th percentile) by 2020.  [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/today-britain-gets-a-pay-rise-thanks-to-the-national-living-wage

Apprentices: Living Wage

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether anyone over 25 who is participating in an apprenticeship is entitled to the National Living Wage.

Margot James: Apprentices aged 25 and over who have completed the first year of an apprenticeship must be paid at least the National Living Wage, currently set at £7.20. More information on the National Living Wage is available here - https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates

Companies House: Standards

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will review the oversight, operational procedures and response times of interactions with customers by Companies House.

Margot James: Companies House continually reviews its operational procedures and response times as part of its normal business strategy. Companies House endeavours to respond to customer queries within a maximum of 10 working days but aims to provide prompt responses well within this time. At present, Companies House is implementing a new finance system, including updating its debt collection process As a result, from February to August 2016, the response time for some enquiries is being extended to 21 days. Once this temporary work is concluded the response targets will revert back to the 10-day target. This is expected to be at the end of August.

New Businesses: Leeds City Region

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what support his Department provides to people in the Leeds City Region who wish to start their own business.

Margot James: The Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership Growth Service connects entrepreneurs and businesses to the right help for their needs. It works with public and private sector partners – for example, chambers of commerce, universities, the national Business Support Helpline and banks – to refer businesses to the appropriate expert advice and support, including Start Up loans and the Start and Grow programme. The Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership Growth Service is one of 39 growth hubs across the country that receives funding from my Department. 58,000 businesses were newly registered for VAT or PAYE in the Leeds City Region during 2010 to 2014.

Employment: Yorkshire and the Humber

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to protect employment levels in the Yorkshire and Humber region from the potential (a) immediate and (b) short to long-term effects of the UK withdrawing from the EU.

Margot James: The employment rate is at a record high. Government is committed to ensuring that UK remains open for business, and continues to grow and thrive. Our recent UK Innovation survey report confirms business innovation is growing across the UK and Yorkshire and Humber leads the way as the most innovative region. Government has awarded £1.19 billion in Growth Deals to the Local Enterprise Partnerships in the region so far which is forecast to attract £1.62 billion of co-investment and create 39,000 jobs.

Conditions of Employment: EU Law

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to ensure that UK employment rights continue to comply with EU standards.

Margot James: Holding answer received on 21 July 2016



There will be no immediate changes to our relationship with the EU. While we remain a full member of the EU, we will exercise our rights and meet our obligations as a member of the EU accordingly, including existing directives on employment rights.

Companies: Disclosure of Information

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many UK companies have reported information on people with significant control to Companies House since 30 June 2016.

Margot James: As at 13.50 on 20 July 2016, there were 96,857 companies on the live register (excluding dissolved companies) that had reported information on people with significant control to Companies House since 30 June 2016. The information provided forms part of Companies House Management Information and has not undergone any formal audit. This information has been extracted from the live database, which is being continually updated and it is subject to change. The number above is therefore a snapshot of the register. Since 30 June, companies have been required to provide information on their PSCs to Companies House on incorporation or as their Confirmation Statement (formerly the annual return) becomes due. The register will therefore build up over time and be complete from 29 June 2017.